Cocktail Chronicles: Lure + Till in Palo Alto

Carlos Yturria, who made a name for himself at San Francisco bars, has brought his talent to Palo Alto, much to the benefit of Silicon Valley cocktail fans who visit Lure + Till, the restaurant and bar at the recently opened Epiphany Hotel on Hamilton Avenue.

There's a breezy, relaxed atmosphere at Lure + Till, which draws in Silicon Valley's coveted deal-making demographic, a lively, well-dressed -- but not dressy -- crowd that gathers in the hours after work and often sticks around for dinner.

Combo surprises

Yturria's menu of 10 cocktails runs the gamut from spirit-forward to just spirit-friendly, with unexpected combinations that encourage experimentation.

The Bright Idea ($12) is a refreshing cooler that starts with the smoky flavor of La Vida Mezcal and finishes with the sweet anise of absinthe. It gets its brilliant pink hue from prickly pear puree. (Sal Pizarro photo)
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The Constituent ($8), a Manhattan-esque rye cocktail that spices things up with Luxardo Maraschino and orange bitters, is the most traditional of the drinks. Everything else zooms past tradition like a rocket.

There's the Rum Old Fashioned ($12), which nixes whiskey in favor of Ron Zacapa rum and adds a dash of Velvet Falernum, a liqueur of tropical flavors often used in Caribbean drinks. Served ice cold with a wide citrus peel as a garnish, it's a much smoother drink than its classic cousin.

The highlight of my visit was the Bright Idea ($12), a refreshing cooler that's much more complex than it lets on. It starts with the smoky flavor of La Vida Mezcal and finishes with the sweet anise of absinthe. The two ends of that flavor spectrum are held together by a little lemon juice and agave nectar and a prickly pear puree, which gives the drink a spark of tartness and its amazing hot pink hue.

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The Steinberg Sting ($12) is a classic "duo" cocktail that combines a spirit with a liqueur, and my server told me it was named for Rob Steinberg, the Bay Area architect whose firm designed the hotel. It pairs Aviation gin with herbal liqueur Benedictine and Dolin Blanc vermouth, producing a lovely golden drink that is served up, with a wide slice of citrus peel balanced over the rim of the glass. It's an adventurous drink, but the slightly medicinal finish didn't work for me.

I was intrigued by the rest of the menu, including the P.D., a pale pink martini made with Tito's vodka and a rhubarb reduction, and the Porch Swing, which punches up Evan Williams Whiskey with a strawberry/black pepper shrub. I was glad to see Olga's Cooler, a tequila drink that pays homage to the Epiphany's former life as Casa Olga.

The Peninsula Punch -- a cold concoction of Kappa Pisco, lemon and pineapple -- will be saved for the summer, when I can share a $40 pitcher with friends.

The bar menu goes past cocktails, with a short but eclectic list of mostly French and California wines that hover in the $12 to $16 range by the glass. There are four draft beers, including the locally produced Hoppy Ending from Palo Alto Brewing, and eight bottles that should please craft beer fans.

Lure + Till, the bar and restaurant at the new Epiphany Hotel in Palo Alto, boasts an unconventional cocktail menu that was created by Carlos Yturria. (Sal Pizarro photo)
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Nourishing noshes

The dinner menu looks wonderful, but the small, marble-topped lounge tables are more suited to the plates on the "Nosh" menu. I devoured a plate of the Deviled Eggs ($5), three half-eggs stuffed with a creamy, mustardy filling. The Flatbread ($8) is great for sharing, with several pieces of doughy bread served with a trio of spreads. And there are some interesting items beyond oysters on the "Raw" menu, including the highly prized Santa Barbara uni, a sea urchin delicacy.

The lounge's open layout is inviting, with wide-plank wood floors and walls covered with ash-colored wood panels, stone or brick. The bar doesn't seat too many patrons, but there's more room available on an L-shaped bench that's faced by comfortable chairs, tightly separated by those round tables. (If there's one drawback to the lounge's design, it's that the table tops are at just the right height to invite many knee bangs.)

The sliding glass doors open up to a row of patio tables for two, separated from the sidewalk by planters, that are perfect for people-watching. But no matter where you're sitting, Lure + Till provides some very good reasons to have a cocktail in Palo Alto.